WARNING: The following contains SPOILERS for Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin.
Margot finds a mysterious note in Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin that was written by her biological mother, Sarah; what does the note say, and how does it fit into the horror movie’s storyline? Next of Kin is the seventh Paranormal Activity movie in the franchise. Though most of the sequels are not as critically acclaimed as the first three, the series did its best to fill the world of the story with plenty of ghostly and occult lore. The main difference between Next of Kin and the rest of the films is that there seems to be an entirely new cast of characters, as well as a new story.
Ahead of its debut, many were unsure if Next of Kin was technically a reboot or a sequel, and Paramount kept the plot of the film largely under wraps. What is known is that the movie follows Margot (Emily Bader) as she and her friends film a documentary about Margot’s first contact with one of her biological relatives, who live on an Amish farm. Margot soon encounters strange experiences, including finding an alarming note written by her estranged mother, who disappeared long ago under mysterious circumstances.
The note Margot finds highlights several key facts about her mother’s disappearance and the supposed cult: Sarah purposely left, all of her life was endless lies, and someone is trying to take her baby. Toby, the original Paranormal Activity entity has now been replaced by Asmodeus, and it can be ascertained from Sarah’s note that she fears the demon and its followers. In so many words, Sarah’s note expresses the utmost shock and betrayal she’s experienced living with her family, as well as her fear over her child’s safety. Presumably, when Sarah is writing about her child, she’s writing about Margot. This means that Margot’s seemingly happy homecoming is probably a ruse for ill intent. The note reads as the following:
By the time you read this, I’ll be gone. Don’t look for me, you won’t find me. I wasn’t even going to write this letter, but I couldn’t leave without saying something. But what words? There are no words to express my feelings of betrayal, confusion, and horror. I don’t know if this is real or a dream. It’s a nightmare! All my life, endless lies, and now you want my baby. You’re all monsters! Do not look for me, I’ll hide her where she’ll be safe and protected from your sick cult.
The previous movies muddled the storyline with time loops and witches, so hopefully Next of Kin will help change the franchise for the better by shifting focus onto this new, demon-worshipping cult storyline. It seems like Next of Kin will keep going with the franchise’s occult themes while perhaps dipping again into demonology, taking inspiration from movies like The Blair Witch Project and Rosemary’s Baby. It’s doubtful that the primary cast of Paranormal Activity, such as Katie Featherson, will return to the franchise after Next of Kin — though frankly, that may be for the best.
Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin can be watched online, but doesn’t capitalize on this to update the franchise. It features better camerawork and scenery than its predecessors, arguably changing it from purely found-footage to a horror movie with found footage elements. The first movie only popularized the found footage film movement, with horror/sci-fi counterparts like Cloverfield and District 9 being released around the same time. Paranormal Activity 6 set up the sequel by essentially retconning all of the previous films, opening up the franchise to new stories. Sarah’s note leads viewers to believe that the seventh film may be just as scary as the first.
